I was once sitting in the Tekken 7 rating lobby, flipping through articles and videos on the topic “TOP JIN COMBOS” with my free hand (everyone does this, I guarantee) and drinking tea. But my unbridled fun was disrupted by an individual who considered it necessary to burst into my little world, inform me that I was a so-so player, that he took my mother to a banquet, and so on down the list. Along with this, I eventually found the next match after 20 minutes. That is, I basically managed to cook some dumplings for myself, and during this time the matchmaking unsuccessfully searched for an opponent for me.
And so, when the smoke cleared, the last shot put an end to my beanbag, and my mother informed me about the appearance of a new stepfather in our family, I felt a little sad. It so happened that certain fighting games are (here is a direct quote from Vanya Loev) games for a narrow circle of people in a narrow circle of people. And for all the year and a half that I have been actively in Tekken 7, the community has always made me happy. It was a very lamp atmosphere, where people added themselves and wrote all sorts of “GG”, praised the level of play on this or that character, invited them to a free battle just to fight a good opponent. In the end, it was possible to play about 20 matches with the same player, periodically raising a new rank, and reverting back to the previous one due to sheer parity. Tube and very fragile atmosphere, which was broken by just one character. I’m sure that for many people this atmosphere was broken much earlier, but I personally was lucky.
But there was a second conclusion: there are fewer and fewer people in matchmaking, and this is a shame. The genre, unfortunately, is not so popular, and finding a match is becoming increasingly difficult. And in my opinion these games don’t get enough attention. Actually, this is the leitmotif of this essay.
But I think it is necessary to give a small disclaimer for fans of shock content. First, I realize that many of the things I will talk about are subjective. We are all different, and that’s okay. I will even say that I may be wrong in many conclusions and theses that will be made within the framework of this… mmm, let’s say, “whisper of the soul”. Secondly, there is a little too much text, but not enough graphic information. In short, your university teacher simply wouldn’t read this, because “where are the tables?». And (not at all) thirdly, there is a twist below.
Jin is not my main character, and I didn’t watch the videos then.
Act one. eSports.
Raise your hands those who watch anime. If you raised your hand, then congratulations, you cannot be controlled. But this paragraph is just for you. You’ve probably seen tournament arcs in some shonen. Arcs in which side characters are given more time to develop, when the main characters can show all their growth and development, or, on the contrary, receive additional incentive to do so. In the end, these are just spectacular, well-choreographed, well-animated fights with driving music. So here’s an unpopular opinion: fighting games are anime. But a little different from the context you were thinking about.
Fighting games are the same eSports discipline as many other game genres, and they have their own eSports league. As in any other sport, the players here have their own history, their ups and downs, their characters they play for, and so on down the list, nothing new here. But fighting games, in my opinion, can hook you much more than any other sport. I’ll explain with a specific example.
Some background. EVO 2013, Street Fighter 4. One corner of the ring was occupied by Infiltration, a fairly well-known player in those circles. It’s enough to know that he is very good. Opposing him is PR Balrog, the so-called underdog at the tournament. There is no laconic translation of this word in Russian, so I will explain: this is an “above average” player, a player who Maybe beat the professionals, but not always, not on a permanent basis. And at that tournament, he jumped over his head, defeating the professionals one after another. Knowing this, we simulate the situation further. The loser of their confrontation is eliminated from the tournament. Naturally, most of the audience is rooting for PR Balrog. Video below, watch until 6:00. Please.
So, Infiltration loses two out of three rounds. One more loss and he’s out of the tournament, and PR Balrog reaches new heights in eSports. The crowd rejoices, the commentators rejoice, everyone predicts victory for PR Balrog. And then the following happens: Infiltration selects the character Hakan.
Some analogies.
Hakan is Captain Boomerang https://ukcryptocasinos.co.uk/cardano-casinos/ in a world with Superman.
This is Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad.
Alone in the Dark: Illumination regarding Resident Evil 4.
Culling 2 and Apex: Legends.
The Quiet Man.
You get the point. Hakan’s trick is that by themselves, all his techniques are completely so-so, but he can douse himself with oil (I admit, it sounded more presentable in my head), and his techniques will dramatically improve. Technically, he’s even a counter to Balrog (not to be confused with the player). But overall, this is a bad character, almost the worst in SF4. Now you can watch the video.
Finished watching? Have you noticed how the mood of the crowd has changed dramatically?? Out of the blue, PR Balrog fans started rooting for Infiltration. Perhaps, knowing the whole context, you yourself began to slightly root for Infiltration. Have you noticed what a storm of emotions Hakan’s victory caused?? That’s exactly what I meant.
Let’s look towards sports. Let’s say football. Match between your favorite team and any other. Let’s be honest, it is unlikely that events will occur within the framework of one match because of which you will suddenly begin to root for the opposing 11 Spartans. I can say the same about many other sports disciplines. There are no situations in which such a sharp change of poles can occur in most other disciplines.
But I repeat, this does not mean that you should suddenly find interest in EVO, watch every fight, read the background of all participants in the tournament. I admit, I myself am not a big fan of fighting games as a sports discipline, but I understand what fans find in them, what motivates people to watch, in fact, just as I can understand fans of any other sport. And personally, after watching the TOP moments in the history of the fighting game community, I caught the tide, on the wave of which I watched EVO for the fifteenth (this could be your outdated joke) year. And then for the sixteenth.
Act two. Gameplay.
What is it about fighting games?? How can they attract new players and make them come back?? I like to make (in)adequate analogies and comparisons, so let’s do this again. And to consolidate, the thesis: There is potentially no randomness in fighting games. Let me note that I do not mean, for example, lags; this is not the basis of the mechanics and balance of a particular game. Directly influences gameplay, but does not formulate it.
Let’s look at the most popular multiplayer projects and genres today.
1. MOBA
There is really a very good balance in Dota and League. Not that any hero can kill any hero, but that competent interaction and complementary characters must synergize for victory. In a vacuum, the game depends on picks and items. In reality, you get 9 more human factors besides you. This, in my opinion, is the same form of randomness.
2. CCG
You can as much as you like copy from hearthpwn painstakingly compose decks yourself and calculate moves. You are still dependent not only on the cards that you get when drawing, but also on the cards that your opponent gets. And when the lands don’t come yet (a kind of Magic), then all that remains is to feel the taste of a young and fragile spring on your lips.
3. Battle Royale (any)
100 people at random points in search of randomly scattered weapons, ammunition and items of random type and quality across the map.
4. Siege
Personally, in my opinion, a very popular genre with excellent balance, but resting on the same human factor and the actions of other players. Don’t get me wrong, shooting is shooting, but the environments you find yourself in are still player-generated. I’m speaking specifically using the example of Siege, because Overwatch is no longer a trend, and not even the cherry on the hype cake.
I would like to note that these 4 points helped me stretch the essay a little more. And then the text not enough.
Now, back to the leitmotif. Let’s take, say, the classic (in every sense) Street Fighter, insert the number yourself. You have the same tools as your opponent. 3 punches, 3 kicks, movement buttons, block. There is also a scale of special moves, combos, special moves, and some other features, this is not so important in this context. Yes, the characters’ techniques are different, some feel better in defense, some in attack, some are better suited for long-range combat, some are better at putting pressure on the enemy.
The point is that almost everything characters have every opportunity to resist almost anyone to the enemy when used correctly. Some are better, some are worse, you can’t argue. Even more, the best characters tend to be the easiest to use, the ones whose gimmicks work best under the simplest conditions and with the least amount of fiddling around with the gamepad. But more importantly, the mentioned human factor is an equally important interaction tool. Mind games, if you will. How you will cope with the conditions imposed on you (by the opponent, not the game), or how you yourself will drive your opponent into a corner. Different fighting games have different modifiers in battles, but the essence is approximately the same.
Do you know what’s even nicer?? This is a victory, no wonder. But put down the slippers with the tag “throw in case of a bad argument”, I’ll explain.
Imagine that you, a newcomer to fighting games in general, and Street Fighter specifically, are humiliated at low ranks, losing game after game. But then you get the hang of it, you start to master the mechanics, and you start winning. Not because your character has become stronger, you got +10 items, the weapon is more powerful, the weapon attachment is, or the perk worked. You have become a better player, you achieved victories through hard work, in the fight against an opponent of approximately equal strength to you. Perhaps some time ago he was stronger, but you were able to use your resources wisely and catch the enemy in his mistakes, and thanks to this you snatched victory.
By the way, in my opinion, fighting games are overly stylish and beautiful. The developers set a goal to make battles not only balanced, but also spectacular. So that it all looks impressive, so that you want to fight again and again, so that the characters are memorable. Fatalities in MK, animations and staging in For Honor, dynamics and beauty of DBZ and other examples will not let me lie.
Intermediate gap
There were about 2 more sections and a “technical specialist’s conclusion”. But there is already more text than Black Panther has won Oscars (AND NOW, THIS ARTICLE IS OFFICIALLY CRINGE).
In the second iteration of this essay, we’ll talk about the main prejudices, the entry point and a little about the types of fighting games. Well, let’s talk… let’s read someone else’s monologue, here.
Let’s stop for now. All the best, dear reader, and an easy start.
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